


Evidence That I Lived

by shiny_glor_chan



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Community: mako_reactor, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-09-17
Updated: 2007-09-17
Packaged: 2017-11-14 14:06:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/516018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shiny_glor_chan/pseuds/shiny_glor_chan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cloud and Co. make it to Kalm. Set after Cloud tells his version of the Nibelheim events.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Evidence That I Lived

**Author's Note:**

> SPOILERS for the Zack’s last words and death in Crisis Core. It’s not that bad of a spoiler but every time I read it, I cried and the screenshots made me cry and... (Written before I was able to play Crisis Core for myself.) Cloud and Co. make it to Kalm. Set after Cloud tells his version of the Nibelheim events. [mako_reactor link](http://mako-reactor.livejournal.com/94377.html)
> 
> Themes used from mako_reactor: death, sacrifice, missing, ties

_“Live. You’re the evidence that I lived. My pride and dreams, have them all.”_

Cloud bolted from his sleep, hair slicked with sweat as he gasped for air. He looked around to see Tifa and Aeris sleeping soundly in the beds across from his. Cloud began to climb out of his bed as Barret snored loudly in the bed next to his.

_Who is that voice? ...why can’t I remember him? If I’m the evidence he lived, if I don’t remember him is there any evidence he lived at all?_

“Cloud?” Aeris whispered and Cloud turned to see her by the stairs.

“Go back to sleep.”

“Something is bothering you.” She paused. “Is it Sephiroth?”

Cloud shook his head and sat next to her in a comfortable silence for a few moments before he decided to explain. “I think...” he stopped. “I think I’ve forgotten someone very important.”

Aeris tilted her head slightly. “Why do you think that?”

“The past few nights, the closer we get to Sephiroth, the more I hear his voice at night...” Cloud said sadly. “His last words were _‘Live. You’re the evidence that I lived. My pride and dreams, have them all.’_ If these dreams are true, and I have forgotten this person, then what evidence am I to his life if I can’t remember him?”

Aeris scrunched up her face in thought. “Well, let’s go over what you do remember. You know it’s a he. That’s a start. Do have any sort of picture of him when you dream?”

Cloud paused for a moment and closed his eyes. All he saw was bright red blood everywhere and felt _his_ blood on his cheek. His eyes snapped open, and Cloud felt a scream want to tear through him. He crumpled up, hands on his head and head to his knees.

“Cloud? Are you okay?” Aeris asked, slightly panicked that maybe Cloud was not ready to remember.

Cloud shook violently. “He died to protect me...” he muttered, and Aeris barely heard him. “I couldn’t move until it was too late...”

Aeris bit her lip and quickly pulled Cloud’s head onto her lap, trying to sooth him. “It’s not your fault, Cloud, and I don’t think this person would blame you,” she whispered, smoothing his hair as his breathing started to slow.

“Zack...” Cloud muttered as he fell asleep on Aeris’ lap and her eyes widened.

_He can’t possibly mean... Then he really is dead... I felt something, but I was so sure that it wasn’t his death... I was just fooling myself, I guess._

Aeris swallowed hard as she leaned on the wall next to the stairs, silent tears rolling down her cheeks as she mourned the boy she had loved, and the man she never really knew.


End file.
